Weekly Roundup: TSMC's Arizona Fab Outperforms Taiwan, Taoyuan NT$5 Million Bribery Case, Taiwan Donates NT$4.79 Million for Typhoon Recovery

Nov 01, 2024

Tech Spotlight

TSMC's Arizona fab has achieved 4% higher trial production yields than comparable facilities in Taiwan, marking a milestone ahead of volume production expected in early 2025. TSMC plans to invest US$65 billion across three Arizona plants by 2030. Taiwan News
QunaSys and Hon Hai Research Institute are partnering to enhance QURI Parts with Fermionic Encoding methods, boosting efficiency in quantum simulations and advancing quantum algorithm development. Foxconn
Taiwan OIP Ecosystem Forum is being held on Nov. 6, covering advanced design and TSMC 3DFabric™ innovations for HPC, AI/ML, 5G, and automotive sectors. TSMC
Taiwan's Chelpis Quantum Corp had its UOV and MAYO algorithms recognized by NIST for advancing post-quantum cryptography, highlighting urgency for quantum-safe encryption as “Q-day” nears. Taiwan News
OpenAI has partnered with Broadcom and TSMC to develop custom AI chips while sourcing from NVIDIA and AMD to meet rising demand, aiming to reduce costs and scale operations; the first custom chip is expected by 2026. TechNode

Premier Cho Jung-tai assured that Taiwan's power supply will meet AI and semiconductor demand by 2030, with plans for 30% green energy by 2023; he also confirmed compliance with nuclear regulations and interest in solar, wind, and geothermal energy. Taiwan News
Three individuals pled guilty to bribery charges in a case involving former Taoyuan Mayor Cheng Wen-tsan, admitting to a NT$5 million bribe to influence land rezoning; 11 people face charges, with hearings ongoing. Taiwan News
Premier Cho rejected Trump's claim that Taiwan "stole" the US chip industry, affirming Taiwan’s independent growth and confidence in the US-Taiwan relationship. Focus Taiwan
TPP leader Ko Wen-je's detention hearing was postponed to Friday due to Typhoon Kong-rey; Ko, detained since Sept. 5 over alleged corruption in the "Core Pacific City case," may have the hearing delayed further if disruptions continue. Focus Taiwan

Starlux Airlines shares jumped 53.75% on debut, with plans for US and Europe expansion and a fleet of 50+ planes by 2026; Q3 sales hit a record NT$9.6 billion, and it aims to join Oneworld Alliance next year. Taipei Times
The U.S. Treasury will begin talks with Taiwan on a double taxation agreement to ease tax barriers and support cross-border investment, especially for SMEs in sectors like semiconductors. Focus Taiwan
Taiwan's manufacturing sector slowed in September, with TIER’s indicator dropping to 11.84 , signaling sluggish growth due to weak demand in machine, plastic, and chemical exports, despite AI-driven growth in electronics. Focus Taiwan
Taiwan's passive component industry is projected to grow 11.1% in 2024 and 6.3% in 2025, driven by AI servers, smartphones, and vehicle-use components; vehicle-use MLCC demand may reach 500 billion units next year. Focus Taiwan

New Jersey passed two resolutions marking 45 years of the US-Taiwan Relations Act and 35 years of NJ-Taiwan ties, supporting Taiwan's global inclusion and strengthening economic connections through NJ's Taipei trade center. Taiwan News
Taiwan donated NT$4.79 million and 500 tons of rice to aid the Philippines' Typhoon Trami recovery, with the ceremony led by Taiwan envoy Wallace Chow and MECO Chair Cheloy Velicaria-Garafil. Taiwan News
Palauan President Whipps reported rising Chinese pressure to sever ties with Taiwan, noting unauthorized incursions and tensions over sea floor mining ahead of Palau’s upcoming national election. Taipei Times
J.D. Vance prioritized Taiwan over Ukraine for its chip production, urging strong US deterrence against China, while Trump proposed Taiwan pay for US protection and suggested semiconductor tariffs. Taiwan News

Taiwan's Q3 GDP grew 3.97%, boosted by AI and smartphone exports, higher freight rates, and a 15.27% rise in capital formation, with annual growth projected at 4.1%. Taipei Times
New house prices in Taiwan rose 7.13% in Q3, while sales rates dropped 22.69%, as central bank credit controls slowed demand. Prices rose the most in New Taipei City (11.65%) and Hsinchu (11%), but fell 0.86% in Tainan. Taipei Times
Taiwan's consumer confidence fell to 77.06 in October, with declines in most subindices except stock investment, boosted by TSMC's positive AI outlook. Taipei Times

October 24, 2024

Taiwan faces energy shortages during peak seasons, especially in the summer when electricity demand rises sharply.

This Week’s Recap

October 28 (Monday): Overcast with light rain, daytime high of 26°C, nighttime low of 21°C.
October 29 (Tuesday): Passing showers, cooler temperatures with a high of 25°C and a low of 20°C.
October 30 (Wednesday): Overcast with light showers, highs around 25°C, lows near 20°C.
October 31 (Thursday): Heavy rain possible, flash flood risk, temperatures approximately 25°C during the day and 21°C at night.
November 1 (Friday): Stormy conditions with isolated thunderstorms, high of 26°C, low of 22°C.
November 2 (Saturday): Cloudy with isolated storms possible, daytime high of 26°C, nighttime low of 21°C.
November 3 (Sunday): Overcast with heavy rain likely, temperatures around 25°C during the day and 20°C at night.

Next Week’s Forecast

November 4 (Monday): Partly cloudy with a chance of light rain, high of 24°C, low of 19°C.
November 5 (Tuesday): Mostly sunny, temperatures reaching up to 25°C during the day and dropping to 18°C at night.
November 6 (Wednesday): Sunny skies, daytime high of 26°C, nighttime low of 18°C.
November 7 (Thursday): Clear and sunny, with temperatures around 27°C during the day and 19°C at night.
November 8 (Friday): Partly cloudy, slight chance of rain, high of 26°C, low of 20°C.
November 9 (Saturday): Overcast with possible showers, daytime high of 25°C, nighttime low of 19°C.
November 10 (Sunday): Cloudy with scattered showers, temperatures around 24°C during the day and 18°C at night.